Chapter 29: Synthesizing Diverse Martial Arts to Create a Divine Technique

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Lin Heng nodded in agreement with Xiao Rang’s proposal.

Although there was no clearly defined path one could rely upon when breaking through from the Grandmaster realm to the Celestial Human realm, studying more martial arts manuals and enriching one’s knowledge might allow one to draw inspiration from one discipline to understand another.

“What are these stone chambers?”

Lin Heng cast a brief glance over the bookshelves before turning his gaze toward the stone chambers with their tightly sealed doors scattered throughout the underground space.

“These are places where the sect’s greatest masters of past generations entered closed seclusion during their final years. When their end was near, they would enter and stake everything on one last struggle. If they succeeded, they would open the stone door and emerge on their own. If they failed, they would be buried within.”

Xiao Rang explained.

Seeing the incomprehension on Lin Heng’s face, Xiao Rang continued:

“A first-tier Grandmaster can live for at least a hundred and twenty years. Those skilled in the arts of preserving health may reach a hundred and fifty. After that, every additional tier of cultivation grants another ten years of life. As for your master, even if I never advance again, living to a hundred and eighty will be no problem.”

“By the time one reaches old age, one’s wife and descendants have usually already passed away. Descendants separated by many generations are hardly close anymore. And since a Vajra-Impenetrable body does not decay for many years, it is better to bury oneself here than risk having one’s remains desecrated.”

As he spoke, he opened one of the stone chambers.

Many sword marks, sharp and vigorous as hooks of silver and strokes of iron, were carved into the walls. By studying them carefully, one could sense an undying sword intent imbued with an unwillingness to accept defeat. From it, one might comprehend peerless sword techniques. These marks had all been left behind by masters who had once entered seclusion here.

In one corner of the spacious chamber stood a coffin carved from cold jade.

Through its translucent surface, one could see an old man with snow-white hair and a face covered in wrinkles lying within.

Were it not for his bloodless complexion and complete lack of breath, it would not have been strange to say that he was merely asleep.

“This was my master, your grandmaster, Zhang Qing—the head of the Cloud Sword Palace in the previous generation. Zhang Yuan, who rescued you from the blood pool beneath the Palace of Hatred, was his descendant.”

“Among these stone chambers, those with death lamps placed outside the doors have already been used. You may enter and study the traces left within, but remember this well: do not touch the coffins inside. Do not desecrate our predecessors.”

“One day, when your master dies, it will be you, Heng’er, who must place the lid over my coffin.”

Xiao Rang spoke in a calm voice, having long grown accustomed to life and death.

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Lin Heng had always been close to Zhang Yuan.

After all, Zhang Yuan had once saved his life. Thus, Lin Heng was usually very close to this senior brother of his. In the intervals between cultivation, they often played chess and conversed together. He had never imagined that Zhang Yuan possessed such an identity.

When Xiao Rang brought up matters of life and death, Lin Heng comforted him. “Master, there is no need to worry. Perhaps I will soon break through to the Celestial Human realm. By then, I may find a way to bring everyone with me into the upper realm, where we can enjoy immortality and escape the pain of parting forever.”

Xiao Rang smiled without taking him seriously. He merely said, “Then your master shall look forward to the day you break through.”

Their conversation ended there.

Xiao Rang departed, leaving Lin Heng alone.

He bowed toward the direction of the coffin, then began studying the sword marks left behind by the sect’s predecessors, comprehending the sword intent they had refined to its utmost heights on the eve of death.

These sword intents benefited Lin Heng enormously. They revealed the path ahead and allowed him to understand in which direction his own martial conception should develop.

At the same time, Lin Heng continuously absorbed the vital essence of heaven and earth to nourish his body. He refined essence into energy and energy into spirit, causing both his inner breath and his spiritual power to grow steadily as he approached the limits of the first tier of the Grandmaster realm.

For the period that followed, Lin Heng remained underground. Even his meals were brought down to him by Xiao Rang in the form of spiritual cuisine.

With every passing day, Lin Heng could feel himself becoming stronger than he had been the day before.

This strength was reflected not only in the growth of his physique and inner breath, but also in his spirit. His sword intent was drawing nourishment from the accumulated wisdom of the Cloud Sword Sect’s sages throughout the generations, and it was growing steadily more powerful.

After a month, Lin Heng had finished comprehending all the sword intents left behind by the many sages in the underground space.

He then began reading the numerous martial arts manuals stored there.

Any martial art worthy of being collected in this place was far from ordinary. Even techniques suited only to practitioners of the Postnatal realm possessed distinctive qualities.

Blessed with peerless insight—an unfailing memory, the ability to master anything at a glance, and the ability to perfect it with a single practice—Lin Heng transformed the tens of thousands of manuals in the underground library into his own foundation and accumulated knowledge at an astonishing speed.

If the Lin Heng of the past had merely studied martial arts, then the Lin Heng of this moment had reached an entirely new level.

He had surveyed the teachings of a hundred schools, combining his own cultivation experience with countless theoretical principles. He had gained the deepest and most fundamental understanding of martial arts, and had begun to acquire the ability to innovate and surpass what had come before.

He truly possessed the bearing of a Grandmaster capable of carrying the past forward into the future.

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At this point, Lin Heng began examining the achievements of his cultivation thus far.

“The current me is simply a standard Grandmaster-level martial artist produced by the Cloud Sword Palace’s system of martial training. My martial arts possess none of my own characteristics; they are merely repetitions of the paths taken by my predecessors.”

“I can unleash the standard combat strength of the Grandmaster realm, but that is all.”

“I need to revise the martial arts I have learned and make them perfectly compatible with my own martial conception and temperament. I must create techniques tailored specifically to me. Only then will I have a chance of breaking through to the Celestial Human realm.”

Lin Heng pondered, seeking to determine what path he should take in the future.

In the past, he had not possessed the ability to create martial arts of his own. Now, however, it was no longer especially difficult for him.

His realm and knowledge were already sufficient.

“The essence of cultivation lies in elevating both body and mind—to live longer, and to live better.”

“Therefore, after ensuring the highest possible cultivation speed, the first priority of this entirely new technique must be the ability to survive. Movement speed, defensive power, and recovery ability—these three attributes are of paramount importance.”

“Then, while ensuring the ability to survive, I must possess the greatest possible combat strength...”

Before long, Lin Heng had established the general principles of this entirely new cultivation method.

He then began drawing upon the martial arts knowledge he had accumulated over the preceding period, extracting its essence and incorporating it into the framework of his new technique.

After countless revisions and adjustments, a new cultivation method gradually took shape. It was built upon the Cloud Sword True Formula, Ethereal True Astral, Ethereal Swordplay, Gale Cloud, and Primal Unity Finger—martial arts that Lin Heng had practiced for many years—while also integrating the finest principles of a hundred different schools.

Lin Heng next began applying this newly created technique in practice, refining it through actual use.

He removed what was unsuitable and sought out every place that could be strengthened.

Through iteration after iteration, the cultivation method Lin Heng had created himself continued to improve, gradually drawing closer to perfection.

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